The Easy Vegan Zucchini Pocket Pie You Need Now

This easy vegan zucchini pocket pie is filled with loads of zucchini and carrot that is wrapped inside a vegan store-bought scallion pancake – DELISH!

Zucchini has a mild taste and can be used in savory or sweet dishes. If you have tried my other zucchini recipes, you’ll know I love to massage them with salt. This method seasons the veggies and allows you to add more volume (because it shrunk after you extract the moisture) to a dish at the same time.

I came up with this recipe because I finally found the vegan scallion pancake from Trader Joe’s. While the pancake tastes really good by itself, I wanted to incorporate some veggies into it and make it a snack. It’s SOO Good, I can finish 2 by myself. The steps are easy and I tested 3 ways to cook them for you – pan-fry, bake, and air-fry. These vegan zucchini pocket pies are inspired by my Chinese Chive Pocket recipe.

Oh, if you are not near a Trader Joe’s, you can still enjoy the scallion pancake from these recipes – Thai basil Zhua Bing or Shou Zhua scallion pancake.

How to make vegan zucchini pocket pie

Step 1: Prepare the filling

First, reconstitute wood ear mushrooms in water (skip this step if using fresh ones). It took me about 30 to 45 minutes to get them fully hydrated depending on the size of the mushrooms. Then, slice them thinly.

Next, using a grater, shred zucchini and carrot in a large bowl, separately. Massage each ingredient with salt and let them sit for about 15 minutes to draw out the moisture. Tip: You should see a small pool of water at the bottom of the bowl and the ingredients are tender.

While waiting, soak dried mung bean vermicelli or fensi in hot water until softened, about 5-8 minutes. Snip it to make them shorter.

When ready, place zucchini in a nut milk bag and wring out the excess liquid, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Repeat the same for carrots.

Add cut-up mung bean vermicelli, mushrooms, and chopped green onions, then season with vegan oyster sauce, mushrooms seasoning, white pepper, and toasted black sesame oil. Taste and add a pinch of salt or soy sauce, if needed.

Step 2: Assemble

Since the store-bought cong you bing came in frozen, I place them on the countertop to soften them while I prepare the filling. Please do not thaw the pancake completely! It will be hard to roll out when it’s too soft and it will stick to the packaging that comes with it, making it really messy to assemble.

Place one pancake along with the wraps on a working surface. Each pancake is stored in between two wraps, so I kept it this way. Using a rolling pin or glass jar, roll it into a larger circle, about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. If you find it hard to roll, use the rolling pin to press down the pancake to thin it out or thaw it for another 5 minutes. On the other hand, if it’s too soft, stick it back in the freezer to harden it.

Remove the top wrap and place a mound of filling on one side of the pancake. Use the bottom wrap to lift the pancake up to create a half-moon pocket. Pinch to close all the openings. Gently flatten the pocket so it will cook evenly later. Continue with the rest of the ingredients until you get 5 pockets.

Tip: Store the wrapped pocket in a freezer along with the wrap if you are not planning to consume them all. I normally placed it in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn taste.

Step 3: Cook – 3 ways

I have tried 3 ways to cook these pockets so you can choose which one is your favorite method.

Method 1 – Bake

Preheat oven to 400F. Place pockets on a greased baking pan. Spray or brush the top with oil. Bake for 15-18 minutes, flip and bake for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Serve as-is or dip with your favorite condiment.

Method 2 – Pan fry

Set a non-stick pan over medium heat and drizzle a little oil. Place pocket in and cook until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes. If it browns too fast, please reduce the heat. Flip and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Push the pocket to the pan’s rim so all sides get cooked as well.

Method 3 – Air fry

Preheat air fryer to 390F for 3 minutes. Spray the inner basket with oil, place in the pocket. Brush or spray the top with oil. Air fry for 10 minutes until golden brown, flip in between if needed.

Vegan zucchini pocket pie FAQ

1. Which method is the best way to cook these pocket pies?

Personally, I like the pan-fried method the most because I can control the crispiness and color. I find that the pockets’ fragrance is at its maximum with this method. Air-fried or baked pockets are best served immediately as they will lose their crunch over time, making them a little chewier.

2. My shredded zucchini is still dry after 15 minutes in salt – why?

Ah, this happened when they are not properly salted. Be sure to massage in the salt so all the shreds are coated with salt.

3. My filling is mushy and tearing the pancake up while I wrap it

Be sure the filling is not too wet and all ingredients are cut small. If this is your first time making a pocket, pack it with less filling.

4. Storage tips – Store them right after you seal the pockets along with the wrapper that comes with it in an airtight container. Then, freeze until ready to use. When ready to eat, choose any methods above to cook them, no thawing is needed but increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes.

This vegan zucchini pocket pie is

• Easy to make
• Simple hack using store-bought cong you bing (scallion pancake)
• Filled with loads of vegetables
• Crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside
• Best served hot
• Great for reheating – simply stick it in a toaster to warm it up

Please check out other delicious recipes made with zucchini

• Vegan Dumpling Wrapper buns – made using store-bought dumpling wrapper
• Easy Tom Yum zoodles soup
• Sheng Jian Bao – pan fried steamed buns

Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.

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